Late on this day week came the news of the
surrender of Savannah to -General Sherman, which took place on the 21st of December, General Hardee having evacuated the city and escaped with the garrison of 15,000 men across the Savannah River into South Carolina during the previous night. General Sherman in his despatch makes it a "Christmas present" to his Government, but the nation having, like little boys, not only discounted the gift, but hoped for better, grieved much more over the garrison which escaped than rejoiced over the city which surrendered, in spite of the capture of large stores of ammunition and some 30,000 bales of cotton, which may, however, prove to be foreign pro- perty. It does not appear that either General Sherman or Admiral Dahlgren were in fault in not preventing the escape of the garrison.
